In April, the final environmental impact statement for the Millennium Bulk Terminal in Longview was released. Cowlitz County and the Washington Department of Ecology found nine areas of significant environmental impact if this project were allowed to proceed. I find two of those impacts particularly alarming.
First, the green-house gas emissions from this project would be staggering. At a time when our state and the world are working hard to reduce emissions, this project alone would spew up to 55 million tons of GHG, more than Washington’s entire footprint from all sources. This is just shameful.
Second, a Health Impact Assessment is currently underway. Consequently, the FEIS does not take any of its findings into account. How can this Environmental Impact statement be complete without those findings?
However, even without the official study, the FEIS notes an increase in cancer risk for those living near the terminal, an increased risk to public health and safety from traffic delays, an increase in rail traffic accidents and significant impacts to the Columbia River and tribal fishing rights.
Taken as an entire package the risks are just too great. All permits for this project should be denied.
